Wrapping up Better Wandering Goblins

Part Three: High-Level Table

Well, here’s the draft for the High-Level Wandering Goblin Table. For those that missed it, the first post in this series can be found here. Part two can be found here.

High-Level Wandering Goblin Table (Levels 9-14)

The high-level table assumes a group of characters ranging roughly from ninth to fourteenth level. The number of creatures appearing will be dependent on the size and strength of the party. Guidelines will provided in the below descriptions.

1) The Flayed Ones

Created by the goblin shaman Kraygal Twisted-Heart, the flayed ones are shambling golems made from the flayed skins of dwarves and trolls. Flayed ones are gruesome in appearance and consist of haphazardly stitched-together patches of skin. They stand anywhere from 8 to 10 feet tall. The flayed faces of many dwarves and trolls are sewn all over their bodies, and dozens of black eyeless sockets stare eerily at soon-to-be-victims. The patchwork of stitched skins are also tattooed with numerous magical runes, and each of these runes throbs slightly like a heartbeat. A black ooze seeps from all the stitches and eyes like unceasing rivers of tears . In a cruel and twisted sense of humor, Kraygal created these abominations from tortured and skinned foes for the purpose of protecting the very creatures they despised so much during their lives. They wander about the most important tunnels of the goblin warren tirelessly killing those that dare trespass.

Like the trolls they are partially made from, flayed ones can regenerate; however, Kraygal has been unable to replicate the regenerative process of trolls exactly. Four combat rounds after taking damage, flayed ones will begin regenerating 2 hit points per round. Like trolls, flayed ones cannot regenerate damage taken from fire or acid. The stitches holding flayed ones together are magical, and severed limbs will creep back to the main body in order to stitch itself back together. If reduced to 0 hit points (other than fire or acid damage), a flayed one will regenerate enough to fight again in 3-18 rounds.

Flayed ones do not have a skeletal frame; instead, they are filled with an enchanted, semi-sentient, thick, black ooze. Because of this, flayed ones are capable of distorting and flattening their bodies in ways that it make possible for them to squeeze through narrow spaces. If a flattened piece of skin or leather can be squeezed through an opening or crack, then a flayed one can squeeze through that same space.

Flayed Ones do not “see” so much as sense other living creatures. They do not require light, and they are capable of detecting invisible creatures.

No. Appearing: 4-11 (1d8+3) flayed ones.

Weapons: None. They simply beat victims to death with powerful limbs.

Armor: AC 4. Magically tattooed and desiccated dwarf and troll skin.

Tactics: Flayed ones tirelessly and relentlessly attack. They have no feelings or independent thought. They do not bargain. In fact, they do not speak. They only do what they have been created to do-kill intruders. Once detected, they will pursue foes until they are destroyed or the foes are killed. They have a morale of 12; therefore, they will always fight to the death.

Flayed Ones: AC 4, HD: 6+3, MV: 60′(20′), #AT: 1 fist/claw, DMG: 2-12, SA: F6, MR: 12, TT: None, AL: Chaotic

2) Hill Giants

A small number of giants from the surrounding foothill tribes have been known to trade with goblin-kin. The goblin king and Kraygal Twisted-Heart provide bounties for the capture of dwarves so that they can continue their cruel tortures and experimentations. Even dimwitted hill giants understand the concept of thumping a dwarf on the skull, stuffing the dwarf in a sack, and then delivering that dwarf to nasty little goblins for pretty shining stuff and tasty feel-good mushrooms.

Small groups of giants can be found in the tunnels of the warren delivering their captives or returning to their homes after receiving their bounties. There is a 50% chance that the giants will have 1d4 dwarf captives who have been beaten, bound, and sacked. These 12-foot tall behemoths tend to be temperamental, and they have been known to crush pesky and foolhardy goblin hosts that poke and harass them with cruel pranks.

No. Appearing: 1d4

Weapons: Primitive weapons that include huge clubs, spears, and nets.

Armor: Standard AC for hill giants. They wear an assortment of filthy and flee-ridden animal hides the size of rugs for human-sized creatures.

Tactics: Hill giants are not terribly bright, but they are cunning enough to raid and ambush potential victims. If possible, they will subdue opponents, bind them, and place them in a sturdy sack to later trade with the goblins. Of course, they often misjudge their own strength, and thus a crack to an opponent’s skull might result in death. Oh well, hill giants are always hungry.

3) Goblin War Party

The party has encountered a host of goblins that have marshalled and are en route for some purpose, likely a raid. Due to the size of the host, there is no chance of surprising the players. Use standard goblin stats. The danger in this encounter is being overwhelmed by sheer numbers and having the warren alerted to the presence of the players.

4) The Bloated One’s Maidens

The Bloated One’s Maidens are grossly obese female goblins devoted to the Bloated One. They are also shapeshifters capable of assuming a beastly form resembling something akin to a huge swine interbred with a fat goblin that runs on four legs. In this monstrous form, they are capable to goring victims with huge yellow tusks. Their corpulent bodies are covered in festering sores that leak a pale yellow puss. Goblins refer to this puss as the Nectar of the Bloated One. Maidens will ritually have their sores pumped for the puss-nectar by young shaman acolytes. The nectar is then later used in a communion-like ritual to bring goblin-kin closer to oleaginous embrace of the Bloated One.

Favored by the Bloated One, the maidens are also capable of charming friend and foe alike, and they are capable of such charms in either goblin or swine-goblin form. It is well-known among goblin-kin that the goblin king is the offspring of a Maiden of the Bloated One.

DMs should use the stats for Devil Swine for the Maidens.

No. Appearing: 1d4

Weapons: In maiden form, they strike powerful blows with thick, fatty arms. In goblin-swine form, they are capable of goring with huge tusks. The Nectar of the Bloated One will result in a visionary communion with the Bloated One (should be roleplayed by DM). Lawfully aligned clerics will immediately become estranged from their god(s) and will be forced to undertake appropriate repentance suitable to the campaign setting. Humans and humanoids drinking the nectar must make a Saving Throw vs. Poison. Failure results in temporary insanity (1d4 months). Success still results in becoming violently sick for 1d3 turns, and then the player will continue to suffer a -1 to all rolls until there has been a chance for a full night’s rest.

Armor: None. AC 3 in goblin-swine form and AC 9 in maiden form.

Tactics: If possible, maidens will ambush victims with a vicious charge. Afterward, maidens will immediately seek to charm opponents in hopes of enslaving new playthings to serve the Bloated One and ritually tend their festering sores.

5) Random Event

The following encounter represents an event that will only occur once. Roll again on the following table to determine the event.

1. Sacrifice to the Bloated One: A party of goblin shamans lead a procession of ecstatic goblin acolytes and frenzied goblin devotees to a sacrificial ritual for the Bloated One. All of the goblins are temporarily under the “blessing” of the Bloated One. A cage with a chained troll that is splashed with ochre paint is at the center of the procession. The acolytes and devotees occasional throw handfuls of colorful powder at the troll and each other. The troll growls, curses, and bangs against the cage in frustration and rage. The fanatical acolytes and devotees are drugged and will fight to the death in ecstatic glory. Should the troll escape the cage, it will attempt to eviscerate any living creature within reach.
   • 6 Goblin Shamans (5th level clerics with AC 6 and +1 to hit)
   • 16 Goblin Acolytes & Devotees (treat as berserkers with an AC of 6 and an additional +1 to hit, +3 total). The acolytes and devotees are all naked, covered in powder, and painted with goblin runes. They only wear a belt with a large pouch containing colored powder. Players doused with powder must make a Saving Throw vs. Poison or suffer the hallucinogenic effects of the powder (-4 to hit and AC, cannot cast spells).
   • DMs that need to increase the challenge of this encounter, can have Maidens of the Bloated One present (see above).
2. Dwarven Heroes: The party encounters an adventuring group of dwarven heroes. Are they deep in the warren for revenge? Perhaps they’re here for a rescue? Maybe they’re just on a raid. DM decides.
3. Wall of Evisceration: The party discovers the recent handiwork of goblin-kin in a tunnel of the warren (note: DMs should adjust the scene as necessary with respect to the current location of the party). A dozen dwarves have been spiked to the tunnel walls and disemboweled. The entrails of dwarves cover the ground of the tunnel attracting a huge pack of carrion crawlers (3-18) that are now in a feeding frenzy. The dwarves were thoroughly looted by goblins prior to being executed; however, should the party search the entrails they will discover a valuable green garnet worth 1000 gp. A clever, yet doomed, dwarf swallowed this valuable gem before being looted and executed. Players searching entrails cannot avoid getting blood and bile on them, and the scent of the blood and bile may be detectable to creatures in the warren.
4. Bellowing Horns: The sudden sounding of horns bellow through the tunnels. Have the players been detected? Is something about to happen? DMs decide, or simply let the players sweat.
5. Dead Acolyte: The corpse of a naked goblin acolyte is abandoned in a tunnel. The goblin has painted runes all over its body. It wears only a belt with a large pouch. The pouch contains a colorful hallucinogenic powder. A Saving Throws vs. Poison must be made if the powder is inhaled. Failure results in -4 to hit and AC, and spells cannot be cast (1d3 uses left). The goblin overdosed in an ecstatic state of devotion to the Bloated One.
6. Gambling Gone Bad: The players come upon the corpses of several goblins and hobgoblins. A pair of bone dice and some coins are scattered on the ground near a tunnel wall. A severely wounded goblin is seated against a wall and wheezing with each breath. Clutched to its bloody abdomen is a small sack that looks to be full of something. The goblin is Gargo, the sole survivor and winner of some gambling that went bad. Gargo is in no position to fight and will bride, beg, and plead with the players to come up with an arrangement that results in something other than death. Gargo will promise anything, and truly do his best to keep his word. What’s in the sack? DMs decide.
7. Lights Out: Deep and booming non-human laughter suddenly fills the tunnels of the warren. While the laughter continues, the party’s light sources are all extinguished (unless magical). When the laughter finally ceases, the tunnel is silent. When the group starts another light source, they notice a yellow puss-like substance oozing from the walls, as if the tunnels were bleeding. Tasting this substance results in hallucinations for 1d3 hours (no saving throw, -4 to all rolls, no spell casting).
8. DM’s Choice: The DM can choose from the above options, select a random event from the other tables, or come up with another scenario.

6) Unique Goblin-kin Character/Team

The players encounter a unique goblin-kin character/team as determined by the random table below. The players can encounter the same character/team multiple times assuming the character/team was not killed in a previous encounter with the group.

Jolgu Spinebreaker & Karya Hearteater: Jolgu is a massive one-eyed goblin (6 HD) that hopes to one day depose of the current goblin king and rule the warren. He is actually Kraygal Twisted-Heart’s puppet. Kraygal has his own plans for rule, and he is using Jolgu to undermine several powerful figures in hopes of accomplishing is own coup.

With the assistance of an enslaved human wizard, Krayal has created a powerful enchanted girdle for Jolgu that bestows him with devastating strength (treat as Girdle of Giant Strength). Jolgu also wears an enchanted suit of black chainmail armor (+1 chain, human-sized due to Jolgu’s size). He wields an enormous rune-covered club that was enchanted after soaking three days in a pool of blood drained from the corpses of 100 dwarves (+1 club, cursed for dwarves). Jogul takes great delight in watching bodies explode into chucks of meat from the force of his mighty blows.

Jolgu is always accompanied by his lover, Karya Hearteater, a feared and powerful goblin sorceress (7th level magic-user) that learned the arcane arts secretly from an enslaved mage kept by Kraygal Twisted-Heart. Karya has plans of her own, and is trying to manipulate both Jolgu and Kraygal. Karya knows the following spells: Read Magic, Shield, Detect Magic, Magic Missile, Sleep, Hold Portal, Knock, Locate Object, Phantasmal Force, Web, Dispel Magic, Fireball, Hold Person, Confusion, and Wall of Fire.

The pair are always accompanied by a standard goblin patrol and two elite goblin hunting squads (see Part One) as they move about the warren plotting and scheming.

Kraygal Twisted-Heart:

The most powerful goblin shaman in the warren is Kraygal Twisted-Heart (9th level cleric). He is favored by the Bloated One, and it is said that he is capable of bringing about death with just his gaze. Only the powerful goblin king does not fear him, although even the king respects and treats him with caution.

Kraygal lost his right arm when he was young, and he has spent his entire life researching and experimenting with trolls in an effort to regrow his arm. Currently, he has grafted the arm of a troll to his shoulder. The arm is functional, has gold painted fingernails, and grants Kraygal great strength (1d10 damage if he strikes an opponent with his troll arm).

Although the Bloated One grants Kraygal access to a full complement of cleric spells (reversible as well) that make him very dangerous, he still travels with a powerful entourage. He is fully aware of the scheming and plotting of his backstabbing kin.

Kraygal’s Entourage:

• 4 Elder Goblin Shamans (6th level clerics)
  • The elder shamans are accompanied by 2 adept shamans each (8 2nd level clerics)
• 2 Hobgoblin Honor Guard Patrols consisting of 8 hobgoblins each
  • Each patrol is headed by a 4HD Hobgoblin leader
• 4 Flayed Ones (see above)
• 2 Legless Troll Servants: Years ago, Kraygal cut the legs off these two trolls and then used fire to sear the wounds and destroy their legs. He makes the trolls serve him by crawling around the ground using their arms. He keeps them adorned with jewels and ridiculously painted in what goblin-kin might consider attractive, if overdone. After years of abuse, they grovel before him and are quick to do his bidden. They are nameless and have become totally loyal. Unbeknownst to many, Kraygal employs them as bodyguards and assassins. They are often ignored or dismissed as Kraygal’s pathetic and abused playthings. Those that have had a legless troll crawl up beside them in the middle of night did not laugh anymore as their throats were ripped out.

The Hag of the Deep:

Deep in the heart of the warren is a subterranean lake. The lake’s water is dark, cold, and home to the Hag of the Deep. Goblin oral tradition is full of terrifying stories about the hag. She is believed by some to be a cursed Maiden of the Bloated One, while others hold that she is the Mother of All Goblins. Whatever the truth, she is feared by all goblin-kin for she is known to leave her watery abyss to seek out fresh meat (goblin-kin, human, dwarf, or troll. It does not matter; it’s all meat). Many goblin-kin make offerings on the shores of the lake in hopes of appeasing her appetite, but she is never appeased. The appearance of unexplained watery footprints in the warren will cause goblin-kin to depart the vicinity immediately.

DMs can use the Sea Hag stats found in the Rules Cyclopedia. Here is a brief description of her abilities. The Hag of the Deep is an 8HD creature, and she is a gruesome and terrifying spectacle. All who see the hag or even approach within 10′ must immediately make a Saving Throw vs. Spells with a -6 penalty, or flee in fear and disgust for 1d20 + 5 rounds. The hag can be harmed only by silver or magical weapons. It resides in the subterranean lake, but may venture on land for up to three hours at a time. Its touch is both an energy drain of one level (as a wight’s), and a cause disease (neither effect allowing a saving throw).

Four-Armed Zuma:

Zuma is a four-armed hobgoblin and deadly sword master. He is also in charge of all the hobgoblins in the warren. Unlike many of his kin, he is efficient. He also lacks the cruelty found in many of his kind. Rather than cruel, he is cold, calm, and calculating.

Many years ago, Kraygal Twisted-Heart noted Zuma’s skill and efficiency and took him into his confidence. Zuma would later agree to an experiment which resulted in Kraygal grafting two additional troll arms to Zuma’s torso. Despite much pain and agony, Zuma survived the procedure and spent years training to wield a blade in each hand. He is now a whirlwind of death in combat. Zuma should be treated as a 9th level fighter capable of four attacks per round. He may also elect to use one of his sword arms defensively instead of attacking, and this will improve his AC by 1. This is a cumulative bonus; thus, Zuma could defend with all four blades and receive a +4 bonus to his armor class. All four of Zuma’s curved blades have been enchanted by Kraygal and his enslaved mage. The benefits are as follows:

Dwarf Slayer: +1 sword, +2 vs. dwarfs. This sword has runes and distinctive patterns of black banding and mottling from the foraging process. The sword emits a faint green luminescence when dwarves are nearby. The blade is cursed for dwarves.

Veil Breaker: +1 sword, +4 on Saving Throws vs. Magic Wands & Spells. The sword is made from a strange blue metal and is cold to the touch. The blade has a number of magical wards that activate when magical spells or effects are directed at the user of the blade. Zuma was told that the sword draws energy from beyond the Veil to rip or bend the very fabric of reality making a spell possible.

Trollbane: +1 sword, +3 vs. Trolls. With the exception of a troll claw attached to the end of the pommel, this finely made curved blade appears rather plain compared to the other swords. It pulses with a soft red light when trolls are nearby.

Bloated One’s Sting: +1, +3 vs. Lawful Opponents, Corruption. This black blade hisses and steams when drawn. It also pulses with a sickly green light. The pommel is adorned with a carved depiction of an enormously fat goblin-like creature (The Bloated One). Any one struck by the blade who is not a devotee of the Bloated One must make a Saving Throw vs. Poison. Lawful characters incur a -4 penalty to the roll. Neutral characters incur a -2 to the roll. Chaotic characters have no penalty to the roll. Failure results in immediate agony and pain (-2 to all actions until cured). The character also contracts a corrupting disease that will eventually kill the character in 1d4 months unless the character becomes a devotee of the Bloated One. Festering wounds with oozing puss develop in 1d3 days.

Zuma also wears a full set of magically enchanted plate armor painted with ochre-colored stripes (+2 plate). If either one of his troll arms are severed, they continue to act independently by crawling around the floor trying to attack opponents of opportunity until destroyed by fire or acid.

Zuma is confident and capable; therefore, he only travels with an honor guard to two 4HD hobgoblins. He patrols the warren inspecting patrols, supplies, and other things under his supervision. He also does not hesitate to discipline slackers. Unlike most of his kin, he will not attack intruders on sight. He will be impressed with anyone that has traveled this deeply into the warren. Instead of trying to kill the party outright, he will ask which member of the group is the greatest warrior among them. He will then challenge that warrior to single combat. He gives an oath that should he win, he will grant his protection and ensure the rest of party is escorted to safety. Should he lose, he promises that his two guards will step aside and let them continue on their way. If this offer is not accepted, he will signal his guards to sound the alarm and attack. Zuma will spend one round in defense only as he assesses the most efficient way to defeat the party.

7) DM’s Choice

The DM can choose from the above options or come up with another scenario.

8) Roll on Lower Table

There is always a chance of encountering goblins and other creatures from the one of the lower tables (1-3 = Low-Level Table and 4-6 = Mid-Level Table). In terms of combat, this may not represent much difficulty for the adventuring group; however, DMs are encouraged to keep in mind other important factors such as resource depletion or being detected and the possibility of alarm.